Take in Alaskan scenery, wildlife on 12-hour rail ride

By Jay Jones

Chicago Tribune|

Mar 10, 2015 | 12:01 PM

There's a curious mix of passengers aboard the Denali Star as the whistle blasts twice and the train pulls away from the Anchorage depot, beginning its journey north to Fairbanks on a 12-hour trip that packs in a lot of Alaska for passengers.

One Friday last September, Marty Askin and Frank Hochhaus chatted as serpentine streams and rugged mountains were revealed through the windows of a double-decker rail car.

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Like so many of those aboard, they came from divergent backgrounds and were traveling for different reasons. Askin, who works in Alaska's energy industry, was headed north to visit family. Hochhaus, a tourist from Munich, booked the ride as a highlight of a U.S. vacation.

It was Askin's first ride on a train. Hochhaus regularly rides the rails. He's the driver (engineer, if you prefer the American term) of an express train in Germany.

Meandering through the ever-changing landscape, averaging just 30 mph, the Alaska Railroad's (http://www.alaskarailroad.com) passenger trains provide an ideal opportunity to see the state's incomparable scenery and wildlife.

"People spend their money to come up here to enjoy the beauty that this state can offer," veteran conductor Harry Ross said. "We make sure they see it."

Nature's diversity can be appreciated on a two-train journey along 480 miles of track between Seward, on the Gulf of Alaska, and Fairbanks, in the state's vast interior.

In summer, the Coastal Classic makes daily round trips between Anchorage and Seward. Stunning sights await around each bend.

"Whales at 3 o'clock," tour guide Matthew Newkirk announced as the train hugged the shore along Cook Inlet.

One of them, Major Marine (majormarine.com), provides customers with expert commentary by rangers from nearby Kenai Fjords National Park (nps.gov/kefj). Following close-up encounters with massive glaciers, even the uniformed ranger was amazed as two whales simultaneously breached the surface.

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When a cruise ship docks in Seward, many of its guests transfer to the train for the evening ride — in daylight, of course — to Anchorage. It's possible to continue the journey northward the following morning.

The Denali Star is named for the national park (nps.gov/dena) that's home to Mount McKinley, North America's tallest mountain. Depending on the fickle weather, the 20,320-foot peak sometimes can be spotted soon after leaving Anchorage. The best viewing opportunities generally occur in late morning near Talkeetna.

On this trip, however, the mountain was hidden by clouds.

"I've stopped trying to predict where or when I can see McKinley," tour guide Heidi Lyon said.

Around lunchtime, Lyon grabbed the microphone to point out a rare sight: signs of human life.

The train slowed as it approached a lone cabin, baby blue in color with the words "Sherman City Hall" on one wall.

If they hear the train approaching, Mary Lovel, 78, and her husband Clyde, 86, make their way to the front door to wave.

Sherman is simply the railroad's name for a siding. The Lovels, with four youngsters in tow, homesteaded in 1964 and never left.

With no road access, the couple have always relied on the train, which in the wintertime operates as the Aurora. It hauled their trunks and beds north from Anchorage. When one of her kids was badly injured, Mary and the girl reached medical assistance by caboose.

"It was our lifeline," Mary said later by phone. "If anything happened, I could flag the train down."

At Christmastime, crew members tossed stockings and toys. The children were so excited they would dash out into the snow barefooted.

The special relationship continues. Last September, the railroad threw a party to mark the Lovels' 50 years in the wild.

Farther north in the late afternoon, the train arrived at Denali, and many of the passengers departed with their backpacks and hiking sticks. Before long, the diner was buzzing with the remaining passengers.

Dining aboard the train is a treat. Passage in Gold Star, the train's first-class service, includes three meals prepared on board. Alaskan specialties — reindeer sausage with breakfast and almond-crusted cod at dinnertime — are favorites.

Fairbanks may be the end of the line, but it's just the beginning of a unique adventure for those who have ventured to within 200 miles of the Arctic Circle.

The Riverboat Discovery (riverboatdiscovery.com) recognizes that, for many, a visit to Fairbanks happens only once. Its trips along the Chena River incorporate various aspects of interior life. Guests can watch as a float plane takes off beside the boat or when a sled-dog team using wheels in warm weather races along the riverbank. Visitors can wander through a replica Native village, with Athabascans as their hosts.

"I never tire of the scenery," said Harry Ross, who is celebrating 47 years with the railroad this month. "That's what keeps me here in Alaska."